Improvement in apparatus for preserving beer



L. GATHMANN.

7 Apparatus for Preserving Beer. No. 201,236.

Patented. March 12,1878,

firerzZ or W imw A WM NPETERS. PHDTO-LITNOGRAPH WASHINGTON D c UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS GATHMANN, or. oHIeAeo, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING BEER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,236, dated March 12, 1898; application filed January 3, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs GATHMANN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Preserving Beer; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,'clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a beer-cask, showing a vertical central section of 7 an air-exhausting apparatus embodying my said invention; and Fig. 2 represents a like sectional elevation of the cask, show- 7 ing a modification of the air-exhausting apparatus.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a means of exhausting the air from beer-casks in which the beer has been partly drawn off, and when not on draft, and thereby prevent the beer remaining in the cask from becoming stale; and to that end my invention consists in the arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing, A represents the cask, which is constructed in the usual manner, and therefore constitutes no part of my invention. 0 represents an elongated stopper or bung, which is made slightly tapering, and is of the proper diameter at the smaller end to fit the bung-opening, and so that when driven into place it will form a tight joint between its periphery and the wall of the opening, and is provided with a central cylindrical bore, to, extending through the same longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 1.

D represents a check-valve, which is arranged within the bore a of the stopper, and is seated at a point near the smaller or lower end of the same.

D represents the plunger, which is fitted within the bore a of the stopper above the valve D, and is so arranged as to admit of a free and easy ascending or descending movement, and is provided with a suitable liftvalve, 01, seated therein.

E represents a vertical upright, which is attached to the periphery of the stopper or bung above the head of the cask, and so as to admit of being removed from the cask with the stopper.

F represents an ordinary pump handle, which is pivoted or fulcrumed to the upper end of the upright E in the usual manner.

G represents a connecting-rod, which is attached at its upper end to the handle F, and at its lower end to the plunger D, as shown in Fig. 1.

The stopper or bung 0 is provided with a vent-opening, f, formed through the same. and which is so arranged as to admit of being closed by any suitable stopper when desired, the object of which is to allow air to enter the cask when the beer is being drawn off.

My invention is used to exhaust the air from the cask when a portion of the beer has been drawn off, and that portion remaining in the cask is to remain undisturbed for a period of time, or, in other words, when the beer is not on draft, and in which case the stopper 0 is driven firmly into the bung-opening of the cask, and the vent-opening f tightly closed. Power is then applied to the handle, so as to impart an alternate ascending and descending movement to the plunger, and thereby exhausting the air from the cask through the bore of the stopper, and by the reseating of the valve D the air is prevented from again entering the cask.

When the beer is to be drawn from the cask the stopper is removed from the ventopening f in the stopper 0, so as to allow the air to again enter the cask.

By exhausting the air from the cask the beer is prevented from becoming stale, and will remain fresh and lively for amuch greater length of time than would be the case when the air is allowed to remain in the cask.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing I have shown a modification of the pump for exhausting the air from the cask, and in which case an airtube, H, is fitted into the bore in the stopper above the valve D, which will produce the same result, the Valve D preventing the air from again entering the cask when the pump is removed.

- "I claim as'new and desire t0 seeure'by IietrtersPatent isw V r r r I Y I The combination, with an air-exhaust pump, 0f the removable stopper 6, having the open ing ior hora a, arrangedta form bliaeylinder Having thus deseri'ba my inventionywhat W stantiail'y asspeeifiedkv v v v WVQL I GATHMZANR i H I Witnesses: '7 1 7 "9 v I v; J:

r G. R; HOFFMAN,

valve D locaatedrwithin theibore thereof, Siib i 

